Genetic diversity and structure among subspecies of white-tailed deer in Mexico

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) occurs over a broad latitudinal range from South America to Canada. Thirty-eight subspecies are recognized, 14 of which occur in Mexico. Genetic studies in Latin America are lacking and the diversity and structure of white-tailed deer in Mexico are unknown. We sampled white-tailed deer from 13 sites in the range of 5 subspecies occurring in Mexico, O. v. texanus, O. v. carminis, O. v. veraecrucis, O. v. sinaloae, and O. v. yucatanensis. We estimated genetic diversity and structure based on 12 microsatellite DNA loci. Observed heterozygosity (HO) was comparable to that of white-tailed deer in the United States (HO 0.530.64), with the exception of O. v. yucatanensis (HO 0.41). We observed statistically significant genetic structure among all 13 sites (FST 0.15). Analysis of molecular variance revealed that grouping sites by subspecies (FSC 0.09) or geographic region (FSC 0.130.14) explained a moderate portion of genetic variation. However, no higher-level group minimized differentiation among populations within the subspecies or regional groups (FST 0.160.20). Pairwise genetic distances among sites were correlated with geographic distance (r² 0.38), but some geographically proximate sites were genetically differentiated (FST > 0.20), especially in the Yucatan. Deer in the Yucatan were genetically differentiated from other subspecies and had comparatively lower genetic diversity, consistent with the biogeographic history of the region. Populations of white-tailed deer in Mexico are subject to a range of management challenges. Additional research is needed to understand the effect of management on the diversity and genetic structure of white-tailed deer.